2110731 Distributed Systems
Ubiquitous Computing Computer Engineering Department
Chulalongkorn University
Present by LogicalSync group
Saturday, September 12, 2009 1

Introduction
• What is Ubiquitous Computing?
• Ubiquitous means everywhere
• From the past, to present and beyond to the future...
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Ubiquitous Computing
• This term was coined by Marc Weiser of Xerox PARC around 1988
The purpose of a computer is to help
you do something else.
The best computer is a quiet, invisible
servant.
The more you can do by intuition the
smarter you are; the computer should
extend your unconscious.
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Three Waves of Computing
•Main Frame
•Personal Computer
•Ubiquitous Computing
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Three Waves of Computing
•Main Frame
Many person -
One computer
•Personal Computer
•Ubiquitous Computing
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Three Waves of Computing
•Main Frame
Many person -
One computer
•Personal Computer
One person - One computer
•Ubiquitous Computing
Saturday, September 12, 2009 4

Three Waves of Computing
•Main Frame
Many person -
One computer
•Personal Computer
One person - One computer
•Ubiquitous Computing
One person - Many computer
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Moore’s Law
• The number of transistors that
can be placed inexpensively
on an integrated circuit has
increased exponentially,
doubling approximately every
two years.
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Computer is every where
• Mobile Phone
• Car
• Refrigerator
• Shoes (Nike)
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Key Elements in Ubiquitous Computing
Let there be enlightenment
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Key elements of Ubiquitous Computing
• Ubiquitous Networking
• Ubiquitous Sensing
• Ubiquitous Access
• Ubiquitous Middleware
Ubicomp required
- Networking as a place to share data.
- Sensing as eyes and ears to add more
“
awareness”
- Access from anywhere (mobile, wearable) and
display with more natural - require less attention.
- Middleware to shield application from low-level
details
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Ubiquitous Networking
Net working is a bare
bone for ubicomp
In order to access
net work, we need
“identification” to define
which “thing” is
accessing.
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Ubiquitous Sensing
• Give systems “eyes and ears”
• Adding more “Awareness” to
Ubiquitous Network
Pressure Sensor Voice Sensor
• Automatic Measuring
Acceleration
Sensor
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Ubiquitous Access
• Access from anywhere
• Required less attention
• Mobile Computer
• Wearable Computer
Wearable Computer
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Ambient Displays E-Ink weather
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Ubiquitous Middleware
• Typically a software
• Shield an application from low-level details
• Interact with Ubiquitous Networking, Sensing and Access
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How does it works?
Putting them all together
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Identification
Who am I speaking with?
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Identification
• Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)
• Provide an identity to things
• Book
• Clothes
• Active - has battery
• Passive - harvest energy from reader
• Main area of use is in retail supply chain
• Mobile phones with embedded RFID is being used in Japan
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Identification
• Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)
• Provide an identity to things
• Book
• Clothes
• Active - has battery
• Passive - harvest energy from reader
• Main area of use is in retail supply chain
• Mobile phones with embedded RFID is being used in Japan
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Identification
• Visual bar codes
• QR Codes (Quick Response) is
widely used in Japan
• Drawback is rely on user action
rather than “Automatic”
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Identification
• Visual bar codes
• QR Codes (Quick Response) is
widely used in Japan
• Drawback is rely on user action
rather than “Automatic”
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Location
Where am I now?
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Location
• The ability to locate objects/devices
current location
• Global Positioning System (GPS)
• Mobile Augmented Reality
Application - Layar
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Location
• The ability to locate objects/devices
current location
• Global Positioning System (GPS)
• Mobile Augmented Reality
Application - Layar
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Context Awareness
Relevant information in the right form, time and place
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Context Awareness
• Intelligent Agents which can “learn” • Voice analysis, Gaze tracking,
from experience Machine vision
• Respond to environmental data • Emotional Awareness
• Sensor detect your friend come to
the room, room’s temperature is
cooling down
• Sensor detect you are in the
cinema, so the phone won’t ring
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The Aware Home
A prototype of Ubiquitous Computing application
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A living laboratory for Ubiquitous
The Aware Home Computing
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Issues in Ubiquitous Computing
Today’s problems and solutions
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Issues in Ubiquitous Computing
• Privacy - How can I trust the others
• Reliability / Availability - Always
on network
• Smart Sensors - Are currently in
research / development
• Social Impact - It changes our life
style
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Summary
Ubiquitous Computing is all about Human!
Because we love comfortable living
Sci-fi movie is not far from reality
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References
• Emerging Technologies for Learning - Volume 2 (2007) - Ubiquitous
Computing by David Ley, Becta
• Advances in Ubiquitous Computing by Soraya, Kouadri, Mostefaoui
• The Aware Home: A Living Laboratory for Ubiquitous Computing Research
• Mark Weiser - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Weiser
• Sensor Devices - http://www.randomterrain.com/futuristic-inventions-cool-
stuff-sensor.html
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